


From a Distance

by heroalba



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Angst, Gen, If You Squint - Freeform, route a spoilers, slight hidekane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 17:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3142850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heroalba/pseuds/heroalba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hide sees Kaneki at Aogiri. He hopes he's doing well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From a Distance

Hide clambered off his bike, shaky fingers going to his bag where he tried to unzip the pouch for several long, draining seconds before he ripped the damn thing open, his heart pounding in his ears and his legs on fire from his long trek.

He almost couldn’t grasp the binoculars he’d brought (he probably needed to eat something soon, he was feeling weak), but he brought them to his eyes the moment he could.  
His heart stopped beating as he set his eyes on a boy (no, that was a  _man)_  standing amidst the rubble after painfully long, constricting seconds of searching. The hair color and posture were all wrong, but Hide knew his friend better than he knew even himself. He’d recognize that figure (strong and confident as it was now on the horizon) anywhere.  
  
Even though he was covered in blood and filth (and Hide vaguely remembered reading about  _Marie Antoinette_ _syndrome_ from one of his research books), Hide felt his shoulders sag in relief, his heart swelling with affection even at the sight of him. He was okay.

Well, maybe not  _okay._ But he was alive, and he  _would_ be okay. Hide would make sure of it. 

He brought the binoculars up again after squinting at the lone silhouette on the horizon, and Kaneki turned. His heart thumped; would Kaneki see him from this distance? If he did, what would he do?

He searched his friend’s face for signs, but the former college student’s mask (that was pretty cool, even if it was sort of creepy) obscured one eye. The other could barely be seen, but Hide could tell from the minute tinge of the black veins that Kaneki’s kakugan was active.

_So he really is…_

Well, he’d heard it with his own ears. Done research. He’d even studied Kaneki’s behaviors ever since he’d been discharged from the hospital. He’d known already. But he’d never really  _seen…_

Hide blinked, lashes trapped against the lenses, and Kaneki was gone.

Just like that.  
Like he always was.

The thought was bitter but true but it didn’t deter Hide, who just smiled a little and lowered the binoculars, just now remembering that his legs were about as strong as jelly and that his fingers and palms were clammy. He wiped one hand on his pants, turning to his bike and reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone.

He doubted his friend still had one on him (if he had the same one still), but it couldn’t hurt to try. And maybe he’d show Kaneki his texts when he came home, if he hadn’t read them already.

_Happy birthday, Kaneki. Don’t do anything stupid, okay? I really miss you, I have an entire tub full of Japanese Lit. homework you’ve missed, you know_

_Come home soon_


End file.
